Former President Leonel Fernandez and fellow lawyer Margarita Cedeño wed on Sunday evening in a private ceremony held at Cedeño’s Naco apartment. The marriage caught the press and Dominicans by surprise, as Fernandez had maintained in the past that marriage was incompatible with politics. He said it was unlikely that he would remarry, because he would make a woman unhappy, given that politics came first on his agenda. Diario Libre points out that the leading politician of the PLD opposition party had spent the day of his wedding campaigning in the southwestern provinces. El Dia newspaper says that his schedule for the day even included a 5pm discourse. According to reports, Fernandez arrived at the apartment at 9:25 pm, attired in a dark blue suit, and the civil wedding, performed by Justice of the Peace Carmen Luz Mejia, began at 10:05 pm. The press did not have access to the wedding, but the press secretary of Fernandez promised to provide photos. Luis Cedeño, father of the bride, and Yolanda Reyna, mother of the groom, gave the couple away. This is a second marriage for both of the newlyweds. Fernandez has two children: 14-year-old Nicole and 9-year-old Omar, who were present at the ceremony. Fernandez divorced his former wife in 1995 and remained single throughout his years in the Presidency. Cedeño also has a daughter and a son, Ramon Emil and Gabriela, from her previous marriage. She divorced her former husband in 1996. The couple met in a professional setting; Cedeño has worked with Fernandez since the days his practice with lawyers Abel Rodriguez del Orbe and Radhames Jimenez was located at Calle El Conde. Cedeño was deputy legal advisor to the President and member of the board of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) during the Fernandez government (1996-2000).